Game Specialist

WILDLIFE SPECIALIST 2
“Game Specialist”
FIELD OPERATIONS DIVISION / REGION 6 / MESA, ARIZONA BASED
FLSA-EXEMPT / SALARY GRADE 21 / HIRING RANGE $48,400 - $55,000

Managing Wildlife at the Urban-Wildland Interface: Join Our Mesa Regional Team!

Are you ready to bring your expertise in wildlife biology to one of Arizona’s most dynamic regions? Based at our Mesa Regional Office, this role addresses the unique challenges and opportunities of managing wildlife within a rapidly expanding urban and suburban landscape. If you thrive on leading impactful regional conservation priorities, your next career step begins here!

As communities grow alongside natural desert habitats, proactive management becomes vital to preserving ecosystem balance and public safety. In this pivotal position, you will be the key specialist overseeing wildlife conservation across Region 6. From tracking species movement along urban edges to conducting aerial surveys and collaborating on habitat enhancements, your field work and data analysis directly guide regional harvest management, conflict mitigation, and state conservation strategy. You will play an essential role in fostering sustainable coexistence between growing communities and Arizona’s diverse wildlife.

What You’ll Do
• Lead Aerial & Ground Surveys: Conduct thrilling population censuses from fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.
• Track & Handle Wildlife: Safely capture, mark, and monitor species utilizing advanced telemetry equipment, remote sensors, and GPS tech.
• Shape Hunting & Harvest Strategies: Coordinate, evaluate, and edit critical regional hunt recommendations.
• Restore Vital Habitats: Build and maintain remote water catchments to sustain wildlife through harsh seasons.
• Collaborate and Advocate: Work directly with local, state and federal management agencies on mutually beneficial wildlife conservation and habitat improvement projects.
• Mentor Future Conservationists: Lead dedicated field personnel and serve as a mentor on terrestrial wildlife management activities with our summer intern cohorts.

Why AZGFD?
At Arizona Game and Fish, conservation is personal. Our employees are deeply connected to the landscapes and wildlife they protect. We value stewardship, teamwork, partnerships, and professional growth, and we support our staff with training and career development opportunities. If you’re ready to make a measurable impact on wildlife conservation, we encourage you to apply and become part of Arizona’s conservation mission!

Primary duties include planning, organizing, training and conducting wildlife surveys using a variety of techniques, coordinating and editing hunt recommendations, conducting biological sampling and hunter checkouts, and completing habitat evaluations. The position plays a lead role in regional coordination, instruction and implementation of terrestrial wildlife branch project priorities and techniques; along with habitat and wildlife project implementation. Develops work plans, analyzes data, prepares environmental compliance and grant proposals, expends funds and coordinates manpower needs ensuring adherence to Federal Aid and Department guidelines. Works directly with land management agencies and jurisdictions to accomplish wildlife related activities. Captures and handles wildlife following standardized protocols and may assist on various statewide research projects.

Major duties will include:

• Collect and compile biological data on terrestrial wildlife species populations to formulate, initiate, coordinate, and implement wildlife surveys and projects related to inventory, monitoring, management and conservation of wildlife: Perform physical big game check-ins, record and analyze harvest data; prepare reports on wildlife management finds and activities.

• Formulate regional terrestrial wildlife management goals and objectives; review terrestrial wildlife harvest strategies and season dates based on wildlife objectives and guidelines. Assist with regional and statewide species management plans and guidelines. maintain regional terrestrial wildlife management records and data. Analyze and formulate recommendations to address game species translocation and research activities.

• Act as a terrestrial wildlife management advisor for the Region. Trains and supervises activities of other personnel within areas of expertise and responsibility. Review and comment on documents from within and outside the agency related to wildlife issues. Advises Department personnel on issues within scope of activity and expertise on species management, research, and conservation recommendations; Coordinates with outside agencies, organizations, and the public in matters relating to wildlife management issues.

• Reviews popular and technical publications to maintain proficiency in specialty fields and in other areas of general competence and responsibility. Respond to public and agency requests for information; make presentations at scientific conferences, workshops, and training sessions.

• Operates/maintains a variety of specialized equipment common to terrestrial and habitat-oriented work and to office duties associated with such work; uses standard and 4WD vehicles and Off-Highway Vehicles and watercraft in field work and conducts low-level aerial surveys. May oversee specific work programs and/or projects, including scheduling project personnel and equipment and organizing data collection field trips.

• Assists in the preparation of the annual budget request for regional terrestrial wildlife management activities; expend funds and coordinate project effort to ensure adherence to Federal Aid guidelines and appropriate adherence to Department objectives and goals.

• Attends staff and project planning meetings and performs other duties as assigned.

Candidate must have knowledge of/in: basic understanding of ecological principals, scientific study design, statistical analysis, report writing, basic mapping techniques, wildlife species, habitat, and management principals; wildlife inventory and population management techniques; techniques of wildlife capture, handling and marking; nuisance wildlife abatement techniques; Department, State and Federal laws, policies and roles; public needs and attitudes towards wildlife; scientific data collection procedures, report writing and basic mapping techniques.

Candidate should have skills in: wildlife identification and terrestrial species management techniques; designing and analyzing scientific studies; aerial wildlife survey experience; data collection and processing; mathematics and statistics; use of telemetry units, remote monitoring equipment and software, GPS units, and GIS or similar data processing; camping and surviving outdoors; traversing difficult terrain; equipment maintenance and repair; operating 4x4 vehicles; written and oral communication; customer service and public relations techniques.

Candidate must have the ability to: work independently or as part of a team; to plan and use time effectively and efficiently; to effectively fly and conduct surveys in fixed-wing planes and helicopters; develop working relationships with public, federal and state agencies, and special interest groups; to recognize conflicting public values and viewpoints and respond appropriately; Work irregular hours, including weekends and overnight in extreme weather conditions and isolated areas.

• An advanced degree in wildlife sciences or closely related field may substitute for 1 year experience and will be helpful in study design, wildlife monitoring, and analysis of game management activities.
• Experience in aerial surveying, monitoring and/or aerial telemetry.
• Skills in using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for habitat mapping, population tracking, and managing complex spatial databases.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate and operate safely in remote, primitive field conditions, including experience with 4WD vehicles and trailers.
• Previous experience or comfort with fixed-wing aerial surveys to conduct population censuses and monitor radiocollared animals.

The candidate must have a Bachelors or advanced degree in wildlife and/or fisheries sciences or closely related field from an accredited college or university and two years professional experience in fisheries and/or wildlife research/management.

Position requires possession of and the ability to retain a current, valid state-issued driver’s license appropriate to the assignment.

Employment is also contingent upon completion of a post-offer medical/physical examination and the agency’s ability to reasonably accommodate any restrictions.

If this position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job to conduct State business, then the following requirements apply: Driver’s License Requirements.

All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).

The State of Arizona offers an outstanding comprehensive benefits package including:
• 13 days’ of vacation
• 12 sick days
• 10 paid holidays
• Tuition Reimbursement Program
• Participation in the nationally recognized Arizona State Retirement System
• Superior health care options
• Vision care, dental care, pharmacy benefits, and flexible spending account (options available)
• Life, long-term disability, and short-term disability insurance options are available
• Many more benefit programs are available

Learn more about the Paid Parental Leave program here. For a complete list of benefits provided by The State of Arizona, please visit our benefits page

Positions in this classification participate in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS). Please note, enrollment eligibility will become effective after 27 weeks of employment.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact Nicole Baker at nbaker@azgfd.gov for assistance. The Arizona Game and Fish Department is an Equal Employment Opportunity agency.